At First Sight
by StarrLiight16
Summary: Ever believed in love at first sight? Kagome didn't. Until she met her mother's new boyfriend...and fell in love with his SON. InuxKag
1. I Think I Love You

**Story:** **At First Sight**

**Rating:** T

**Summary:** Ever believed in love at first sight? Kagome didn't. Until she met her mother's new boyfriend...and fell in love with his son.

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own any of these characters...I'm just having some fun with them ^-^

**A/N**: Trying out a new story...we'll see how it goes! Thanks for stopping by to check it out!

**xXxXx**

**Chapter One: I Think I Love You**

Kagome fidgeted nervously from where she stood beside her mother, brother and grandfather. The resounding echo of the doorbell could be heard from within the home they waited outside of (or rather, mansion, as Kagome saw it. The place was huge!) Her mother must have noticed her inability to keep still; she rested a reassuring hand on her arm and smiled warmly.

"You'll be just as fond of him as I am," she whispered gently, squeezing Kagome's arm for emphasis. "Don't worry."

As they heard footsteps approaching the front door, Kagome breathed in deeply. She wasn't exactly worried - just nervous about meeting her mother's new boyfriend and his family. Her mother hadn't dated since Kagome's father passed away several years ago. This was surprisingly foreign to her, especially since she had never really dated either, so that made the idea of her mother dating even more difficult to wrap her mind around. As the door slowly opened before them, she tried to calm her nerves and force a big smile.

The man in the doorway was very handsome, and gave off an air of importance. His long, black hair was pulled into a low ponytail, and he had soft brown eyes that lit up when they landed on Kagome's mother. He wore a dress shirt and slacks, and looked as though he had just returned home from work not long ago.

"Ayumi," he said, and Kagome was surprised at how deep his voice was. He spoke with authority, even when he was trying to sound casual. Her mother wrapped her arms around him in a quick hug before stepping back to introduce her family.

"InuTaisho, I'd like you to meet my father," she began, sounding delighted this moment had finally come. "And this is my son, Souta, and my daughter Kagome." She turned to Kagome and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm so glad to finally meet Ayumi's family," InuTaisho grinned, shaking hands with each of them in turn. They all returned the greeting and he invited them inside. "Dinner is just about ready. Let me call my son down. Unfortunately, my other son, Sesshomaru, was unable to make it tonight. Work obligations and such." He waved it off. "InuYasha! Ayumi and her family are here!"

Kagome furrowed her brow at the name. Why did it sound so familiar to her? Her mother hadn't really mentioned the two sons names had she? As she was trying to figure out where she had heard the name before, a boy with long, black hair and deep brown eyes that matched his father's descended the staircase behind InuTaisho.

Kagome felt her eyes widen and she quickly stifled a gasp that almost escaped her lips.

No..

It was _him_..

The boy she had fallen in love with at first sight.

**xXxXx**

_2 Days Earlier_

"I'm home!" Kagome called, slipping out of her sandals and padding into the kitchen.

"Oh, Kagome dear, I was hoping you would be home soon," her mother smiled brightly from the stove. She was stirring a pot of something that smelled delicious, but when she saw Kagome she set down her wooden spoon and wiped her hands on the apron hanging from her waist. "I wanted to discuss something with you and Souta."

"Okay," Kagome replied distractedly as she opened the fridge and took out a pitcher of water. "Where is he?"

"I believe he's watching TV in the living room. Go and get him would you?"

"Sure Mom." Kagome sipped her water as she turned and headed into the living room, spotting her little brother lounging on the couch watching cartoons. "Hey squirt, Mom wants to talk to us. And I think dinner's almost ready."

"K," he replied absently, reaching for the remote without taking his eyes off the television set. Once he had switched it off and followed Kagome back into the kitchen, the two of them slid into chairs at the table and waited. Their grandfather came in and joined them at the table, while Mrs. Higurashi turned the heat on low at the stove and pulled up a chair next to her father.

"I wanted to talk with you both about something that may be a little surprising to hear," she told them slowly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Kagome blinked, sensing her mother's nervousness. She was rarely ever nervous when talking to them. She was usually calm and understanding, and Kagome wasn't used to seeing her like this.

"You see, ever since your father died I haven't really been able to let go. I never imagined being with another man or loving someone the way I loved him. I still believe to this day he was the love of my life, but there comes a point when you need to let go and move on."

Kagome didn't quite understand where this was heading, but she listened patiently to her mother and waited.

"That's when I met InuTaisho. It was such a casual meeting that I didn't quite know what was happening at the time. I bumped into him at a coffee shop and spilled my drink all over him." She laughed fondly at the memory. "He was such a gentleman about it. He even offered to buy me a new drink when he saw how embarrassingly flustered I was. We sat down and talked for what seemed like hours. And well...everything just sort of blossomed from there."

"What blossomed?" Kagome asked dumbly. It was starting to dawn on her where this was heading.

Her mother blushed. "We've been dating for quite some time now. Almost four months."

"Four months?" Kagome and Souta both gasped at the same time. They'd had _no_ idea their mother was dating!

"Yes. I'm so sorry I didn't tell either of you. I just wanted to be sure he was a good man before introducing him to our family. When I told your grandfather," she glanced at the older man beside her and smiled, "he gave me his blessing and I decided I didn't want to wait any longer before having you all meet him!"

Kagome was trying to wrap her mind around what her mother was telling her. It seemed so strange...her mother dating, being happy with a man who wasn't her father. It had been so long. When she stopped and thought about it though, her mother _had_ seemed much happier lately. Kagome had merely thought it was because summer was coming to a close soon and autumn was starting. Her mother loved autumn.

"Well?" Mrs. Higurashi asked anxiously, for neither of her two children had responded. Souta looked at Kagome as if silently telling her to be the first one to speak.

"I, um...I think it's great Mom," the raven-haired girl said, meaning it. "It's a lot to take in, but I'm happy for you."

Her mother's face softened with relief; obviously she had been working up to this moment for some time now, unsure of how it would turn out. Souta nodded his consent, but it was apparent that he didn't have any interest in discussing the topic of his mother dating. He glanced back towards the living room, eyeing the TV.

"I'm so glad your both alright with this," Mrs. Higurashi said as she stood up and walked over to the stove, picking up the wooden spoon and lifting the lid on the pot to stir the bubbling broth within. "InuTaisho invited us over for dinner two nights from now and I've been dying to give him an answer."

Although it seemed like another ordinary day for their family, Kagome had a nagging feeling their lives were about to change. But if it was a change that made her mother happy, it was for the best, right?

"Well, count me in," she smiled as she smoothed out her skirt for lack of something better to do with her hands. "I would love to meet him."

The rest of the night Mrs. Higurashi was practically giddy with joy, hurrying off after dinner to call her boyfriend and tell him the good news. Souta seemed relatively unphased and went back to the living room once he finished eating, and their grandfather went outside to do some last minute chores. Kagome washed the dishes in silence, wondering what her mother's boyfriend was like. How old was he? Was he good looking? Smart? Where did he work? She would have to inquire more about him tomorrow.

After she finished tidying up the kitchen, Kagome headed up to her room and fell back onto her soft bed. She scratched her cat Buyo behind the ears as she contemplated whether to work on her summer homework. Her first day of high school was next week and she was very excited, but also slightly scared. Many of her friends had been accepted to different high schools, but luckily her best friend Sango would still be attending school with her. That was a relief. Still, there was so much homework to be done. Preparing for high school was tough work!

Kagome sighed, having made up her mind to at least work on a little bit of homework tonight, and dragged herself to her desk. She turned on her lamp and set to work.

**xXxXx**

"She's _dating_?" Sango asked, unable to mask her surprise. "Your mom? How long's it been?"

Kagome shrugged nonchalantly, licking her ice cream that was slowly starting to melt in the summer heat. "About ten years. Dad died just after Souta was born, so..."

Sango nodded thoughtfully and bit off the tip of her popsicle. The two friends were enjoying a day at the park, leaning against an old tree by the water fountain. The shade was refreshing compared to the bench they had been sitting on earlier. Kagome had been explaining to Sango the previous nights conversation with her mother, and Sango was just as surprised as she and Souta had been.

"Are you excited to meet him?" Sango asked.

"Yes and no," Kagome admitted, watching a couple standing hand in hand at the ice cream cart they had purchased their treats from. "I mean, I'm excited to meet him and see what he's like, but then this will all become real. Right now it doesn't feel real. I'm a little scared to see how far this relationship goes, to be honest. What if they get married? Will we have to move? I don't even know where he lives."

"Oh, I'm sure he lives in the district," Sango replied, trying to calm her friends worries. "We'll still go to the same high school. You can't get rid of me that easily." Kagome knew she was teasing, but it didn't ease her fears very much.

The couple at the ice cream cart had their backs to Kagome and Sango, but Kagome could hear the girlfriend laugh audibly at something her boyfriend said. It made Kagome's heart skip a little. She wondered if her mother and InuTaisho were like that together. Laughing, carefree...

"Anyway," Sango said, standing up and straightening her white shorts, making sure there were no grass stains on them. "I'm sure everything will work out fine. Don't worry yourself over it. Your mom loves you, and she wouldn't do anything that made you or Souta uncomfortable."

Kagome nodded. "Your right. Thanks Sango." She stood up too, making sure her scoop of ice cream didn't fall off the cone. They began walking back towards the ice cream cart, which was by the park entrance. The couple standing there finally received their ice cream, and when they turned around Kagome stopped short and felt her heart practically leap from her chest.

He was the most gorgeous boy she had ever laid eyes on.

His black hair reached almost to his lower back, but it looked unbelievably good on him. His eyes were a deep brown, but had flecks of amber that caught the sunlight as he walked. He wore a simple black T-shirt and red shorts, but Kagome could see the noticeable outline of hard muscle through the shirt. He carried himself in a way that wasn't exactly arrogant, but confident.

How could someone look as good as he did?

"Kagome...Kagome?" Sango was asking, looking at her friend curiously. Kagome felt heat rising in her cheeks, but she wasn't sure why. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her palms had suddenly gotten sweaty, making it difficult to hold onto her ice cream. What was this feeling she had? She couldn't describe it. Suddenly, the saying 'love at first sight' came into her mind, but she frantically shook it off. There was no such thing. Love didn't just _happen_, it took time to cultivate. And it certainly didn't happen with a stranger, from just one look. Maybe she was feeling lust for him...but that sounded extremely creepy.

Sango was following Kagome's gaze until it locked onto the boy walking towards them with his girlfriend. She grinned. "Cute, isn't he?" she snickered. "I've never seen you get so flustered over a boy Kagome-chan."

"I-I'm not!" Kagome retorted, feeling her blush deepen. She knew Sango was teasing again (she rarely called her Kagome-chan unless she was teasing or comforting her) but her words were truthful. She was very flustered...

Kagome forced her legs to move so she didn't continue standing there like an idiot, staring at some boy she didn't even know. All of sudden, a small gray dog came out of nowhere and started yapping at her, obscuring her path. Kagome noticed a little too late, and with a squeak she stumbled over the dog. Luckily, she was able to catch herself before sprawling out on the sidewalk, and the dog hurried off after she'd bruised it's paw, but before she even had the chance to get embarrassed she noticed her scoop of ice cream was gone. All she was holding was the cone.

"Darn it..." Kagome muttered, looking down to see if it had fallen into the grass or on the cement.

"AH!" she suddenly heard someone huff in a frustrated tone, causing her to glance up. She paled and dropped her cone.

The couple that had been walking towards them were standing a few feet in front of her. Her chocolate ice cream was now running down the pink shirt of the girl who had been holding hands with the guy Kagome was just drooling over. Sango's mouth formed an 'o' shape as she looked from the couple to her mortified friend.

"This was my new shirt!" the girl was saying angrily, wringing her hands and looking disgusted by the ice cream dripping onto the pavement. She glared up at Kagome as her boyfriend headed back to the cart to get napkins.

"I'm sorry," Kagome managed to say, still staring in shock at the ice cream that had been in her hand a moment ago. "I...didn't see..."

"Yeah, apparently!" the girl said disdainfully, her silver hoop earrings swaying each time she moved her head. She had long, blue-black hair that nearly reached the same length as her boyfriends, although it was difficult to tell because it was pulled into a sleek ponytail. Her violet eyes flashed each time she glanced at Kagome, for now the ice cream was slowly making it's way down to her jean skirt and onto her slender legs.

The girl turned her chin up at Kagome and looked over her shoulder to where her boyfriend was coming back towards them. "Inu! Where are those napkins?!"

_Inu_...so that was his name, Kagome absently found herself thinking.

"Keep your pants on," her boyfriend grumbled when he reached them, handing over a cluster of napkins he'd retrieved from the man at the ice cream cart. She grabbed them quickly, wiping at her shirt, but it was a futile effort. She would have to change.

"My shirt better not be ruined or you're buying me a new one," she told Kagome coldly, as her boyfriend rolled his eyes.

"Look Kikyo, it wasn't her fault," he said, sounding slightly annoyed. Kagome wondered if his girlfriend did this often...she didn't seem like the most pleasant person. "If it's ruined I'll be the one to buy you another shirt."

Kikyo's eyes lit up as she turned to her boyfriend. "Really, Inu? That's so sweet of you! But still," her expression soured again as she glared over at Kagome. "Watch where you're going next time."

"I will," Kagome replied sincerely, wanting nothing more than to get away from this couple and go crawl under a rock. But at the same time, she almost dreaded walking away and never seeing this boy again. Why was he having such an effect on her? Her heart rate still hadn't slowed, and she knew it wasn't from the embarrassment of spilling her ice cream all over his girlfriend. She hoped, if nothing else, her blush had faded, but her face still felt hot. It didn't help either when he glanced at her, meeting her gaze and sending a shiver down her spine. The good kind of shiver.

"Yeah, I'll keep her in line," Sango chirped, grasping Kagome's arms and starting to pull her away towards the park exit. "Thanks for being so understanding!" She waved with the hand still holding her melting popsicle, and then tossed it into a nearby trash can.

Kagome glanced over her shoulder at the retreating couple, still feeling uneasy. Maybe once she and Sango were far enough away from them she wouldn't feel like this anymore. But something in the back of her mind told her she would never meet another boy like him again.

"Earth to Kagome," Sango was saying beside her, finally releasing her arm as they reached the park exit. Two little boys blew past them, shouting something about the swings and playing tag. "What's gotten into you? Are you alright?"

Kagome swallowed and plastered on what was probably more of a wince than a smile. "I'm fine. That was just embarrassing."

Sango snorted and waved it off. "Who cares. That girl probably had it coming judging from her attitude. She acted like she was queen of the world and we were two lowly peasant girls who ran into her."

"But we _did_ run into her," Kagome commented, looking down at her sticky hand. Some of her ice cream had melted onto it when she'd been staring at Kikyo's boyfriend.

"So? It happens. And it wasn't technically your fault...that dog ran right in front of you. Your probably more upset about falling in front of that cute boy," Sango teased. Kagome felt her face heat up again.

"Let's go. I told Mom I would pick up some groceries on my way home," Kagome said quickly, hoping Sango wouldn't bring the subject up again. She didn't want to think about that boy, especially when he already had a girlfriend. What was wrong with her?

**xXxXx**

Despite her best efforts, Kagome found her thoughts drifting to the boy later on, when she was sitting at her desk trying to focus on the rest of her homework. She had never met anyone like him before. Although he'd seemed rather frustrated with his girlfriend, what he had said to her was sweet. Kagome knew many boys who had told her sweet things in the past, but her heart had never fluttered at them the way it had when she was around _him_. And they hadn't even really spoken, although he had defended her from Kikyo's wrath.

And those eyes...they were so captivating. As if she could gaze into them and see his soul. She wondered what kind of a person he was, what his ambitions and dreams were, where he came from -

Kagome noticed her reflection in the mirror above her desk and mentally slapped herself. _This is ridiculous Kagome!_ she scolded herself, settling back in with her pencil and staring down at her geometry. She had never been this hung up over a boy before. Not Hojo, or even Kouga...and both had made several attempts at wooing her. Yet she had never been interested, never felt that rush people are supposed to get when they think about a boy they like. She tried to reason with herself, knowing she wasn't normally this silly. _You will never see him again. Get him out of your thoughts!_

That was easier said than done.

**xXxXx**

"Kagome dear, are you ready to go?" Mrs. Higurashi called up the stairs, securing her pearl earring onto her right earlobe. "Souta and your grandfather are already in the car!"

"Be right down!" Kagome shouted back, adding just a touch of lip gloss to her lips. She stood back and examined her appearance in the full length mirror behind her bedroom door. The dark green dress she was wearing was certainly flattering, especially paired with her favorite black flats. A simple emerald necklace and earring set completed the ensemble, and she had pulled her silky black hair into a loose bun on the top of her head. While she was satisfied with how she looked, she hoped she would make a good impression on her mother's boyfriend.

Grabbing a jacket and her purse, Kagome hurried down the stairs to where her mother was waiting by the front door. The woman gave her a motherly smile and pulled her into a hug.

"You look absolutely beautiful Kagome!" she said, causing her daughter to smile.

"Thanks Mom. But look at you!" she stepped back and stared admiringly at her mother's outfit. It was a gorgeous teal blue dress with thin straps, and Mrs. Higurashi had clipped a section of her hair back with a pretty butterfly clip. Pearl earrings dangled from her ears and she wore just a touch of makeup.

Her mother seemed to blush at the compliment. "Thank you sweetie." They locked the front door and made their way to the car that was parked around the other side of the temple. The night was warm but Kagome pulled her jacket on anyway.

"So, Mom..." she said casually, "things must be pretty serious with this guy, huh?"

A faint smile spread across Mrs. Higurashi's lips as she replied, "Well, I like him very much. He would make a good father figure for you and Souta. Not to mention he would do a wonderful job taking care of us all. I never imagined falling in love with another man, but I think I'm starting to."

Kagome nodded and looked up at the setting sun, thinking how beautiful all the reds and oranges looked against a pink sky. "I think that's great Mom. I'm so happy for you." She hadn't seen her mother this happy...well, maybe ever. Since their father had been gone anyway. "What does he do? I mean, where does he work?"

Mrs. Higurashi looked thoughtful for a moment. "Have you ever heard of Takahashi Corporation?"

"Yeah?"

"He owns it."

Kagome stopped in her tracks, staring at her mother. "He..._owns_ it?!" she asked, shocked. It was one of the leading corporations in all of Japan! They had discussed it a bit in one of her classes last year. Her mother turned to look sheepishly at her daughter.

"Yes, he does. Crazy, right? Although my feelings wouldn't change even if he were a pig farmer." She laughed, her eyes twinkling, and Kagome knew it was true. So what if the man was possibly one of the richest in the country? No big deal. Right?

They reached the car and Mrs. Higurashi slid behind the wheel while Kagome got in back next to Souta. _Here we go_, she thought, praying she would like InuTaisho. Something about the name made her frown. _Inu_...

They pulled out into the busy city, and traffic was especially terrible since it was a Friday night. Luckily they had left early. Her mother had to drive slowly with all the people out and about, and Kagome noticed all the couples walking along, holding hands and heading into restaurants and shops.

"So who's all going to be at the dinner?" she asked, watching an ambulance speed past them. She hadn't thought to ask whether InuTaisho had any children.

"Well, he has two sons, but only one lives at home. The other moved out a few years ago," her mother replied, turning at a traffic light onto a less crowded road. "I've never met either of his sons, so I'm hoping they will be at dinner too. InuTaisho said his youngest son will probably be there, but he wasn't sure if his eldest could make it. He's usually very busy at work. He's the vice president of his father's company."

"I see," Kagome answered, wondering what her maybe-someday-stepbrothers might be like. Her mother turned up a long driveway lined with oak trees, and when she slowed at what could only be InuTaisho's house, Kagome gaped. It was enormous! A bubbling fountain stood in the center of the driveway, so Mrs. Higurashi circled around it and parked off to the side by the multiple garages.

"Woah!" Souta yelled, hopping out of the car, his eyes bulging. "Your boyfriend lives _here_?!"

His mother nodded slowly, taking in the large house as she slammed her car door shut. "I guess so," she replied, pulling her purse over her shoulder. "I've never been to his house before. We usually met up at restaurants or went to places in the city."

Kagome was even more intrigued by her mother's love interest now. It was a very regal house, made entirely of brick and had several windows on both the first and second stories. She noted the wraparound porch, and the garden on the other side of the yard. A two person swing hung at one end of the porch, and low lit lamps shone on either side of the front door. The house was slightly intimidating, but also somewhat calming. She thought she could get used to it if she spent enough time here, which maybe she would now that her mother was dating the man who lived within the mansion.

"Can I ring the doorbell?" Souta asked excitedly, as the four of them made their way up the front steps to the door. Kagome felt one of them creak under her weight.

"Of course honey," Mrs. Higurashi smiled.

"This place is a bit much, don't you think?" their grandfather grumbled, tugging at his tie. He wasn't used to wearing dress clothing.

"I think it's lovely," his daughter replied, in a tone that suggested he not make any further comments about the house in front of her boyfriend. Grandfather crossed his arms with a dejected look but didn't say anything more. Kagome smiled at the old man beside her brother, but she couldn't help from fidgeting nervously. She felt a soft hand on her arm.

"You'll be just as fond of him as I am," her mother whispered, "don't worry."

The door opened and a man whom Kagome assumed to be InuTaisho stood before them, grinning. "Ayumi," he said, his voice echoing in the large foyer behind him. Mrs. Higurashi slipped into his arms for a quick embrace before pulling away to introduce her family.

"InuTaisho, I'd like you to meet my father," she informed him, looking positively giddy. "And this is my son, Souta, and my daughter Kagome." She turned to Kagome and placed a hand on her shoulder. Kagome smiled.

"I'm so glad to finally meet Ayumi's family," InuTaisho grinned. After shaking hands with each of them and the individual greetings were made, he invited them inside. "Dinner is just about ready. Let me call my son down. Unfortunately, my other son, Sesshomaru, was unable to make it tonight. Work obligations and such." He waved it off. "InuYasha! Ayumi and her family are here!"

Kagome felt her brow furrow again in contemplation. _InuYasha_. Her mother hadn't really mentioned the two sons names had she? But just as it dawned on her where she had heard _Inu_ before, a boy with long black hair and eyes with amber flecks descended the staircase behind InuTaisho.

Kagome felt her body stiffen with recognition and she quickly stifled a gasp that almost escaped her lips. It was _him_..

The boy she had fallen in love with at first sight.

**xXxXx**

Let me know what you think? Reviews are always wonderful ^-^ Thanks for reading!


	2. Threat

**Story:** **At First Sight**

**Rating:** T

**Summary:** Ever believed in love at first sight? Kagome didn't. Until she met her mother's new boyfriend...and fell in love with his son.

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own any of these characters...I'm just having some fun with them ^-^

**xXxXx**

**Chapter Two: Threat**

"So, Kagome, I hear you are entering Shikon High School next week as a first year?" InuTaisho remarked casually, taking a bite of his salad. One of the maids came around the table to refill his glass of wine before shuffling back off to the kitchen. Kagome swallowed her mouthful of rice.

"Yes," she replied, keeping her eyes on her plate.

"She's just being shy. She was so excited when she got her acceptance letter!" Mrs. Higurashi giggled, nudging her daughter with her shoulder. Kagome managed a smile, hoping it didn't come off as a grimace. She hadn't eaten much, but the food in her stomach didn't seem to be settling well. She knew if she looked at _him_ she would probably have to run to the bathroom and empty out the contents of her stomach.

"Well, at least you will know one person," InuTaisho grinned, clapping his hand on his son's shoulder. "InuYasha is starting his second year at Shikon."

_Of course he is_, Kagome thought dryly, wondering how this could get any worse. "My friend Sango is attending as well. We've been best friends since elementary school."

"They're practically inseparable," her mother commented with a smile. The rest of the family continued to chat with the Takahashi's, but Kagome could only sulk. Well, sulk without appearing to be sulking. She didn't want to ruin this evening for her mother. When she had seen InuYasha come down those stairs, she thought she might faint on the spot. His eyes had flashed with recognition, but he hadn't said anything.

"InuYasha, these are the Higurashi's," his father had informed his son nonchalantly, indicating each member in turn. "My girlfriend, Ayumi, and her father. Her son, Souta, and her daughter, Kagome."

When his eyes landed on her, she felt the familiar rush of heat to her cheeks and managed to stutter out a hello, eyes trained on the tiled floor below her feet. InuYasha had nodded over at her, slipping his hands into the pockets of his lose fitting jeans. Apparently he had decided not to dress up for the occasion, as the rest of them had. Yet, somehow, he still looked better then anyone in the room.

"Shall we head into the dining room?" InuTaisho asked, placing an arm around his girlfriend's waist. Everyone followed him in, except Kagome, who stood as if rooted to the spot. Her mother looked over her shoulder and frowned slightly.

"Kagome? What's wrong dear?"

Snapping out of it, Kagome quickly pretended to be removing her jacket, placing it on a hook next to the front door. "Oh, nothing Mom. I was just going to use the restroom before dinner."

InuTaisho indicated a hallway to her left. "Two doors down on your right," he told her. Kagome smiled her thanks and hurried down the hallway and into the restroom, shutting the door behind her. Sinking down onto the toilet seat, she held her face in her hands. She didn't know whether to feel embarrassed or excited that she was meeting this boy again...this boy who had occupied her thoughts since the previous day. He obviously remembered her, but what did he think of her? That she was an awkward klutz? Weird? Unattractive?

_Oh come on Kagome,_ she snorted, standing up to look at her reflection in the mirror. _So what if he thinks those things? He could become your stepbrother one day. Aren't they supposed to feel like that?_

She desperately wanted to splash some water over her heated face, but didn't want to smear her makeup. She was grateful she had put so much effort into her appearance. Maybe InuYasha wouldn't think about the girl he met yesterday but only see the girl seated across from him at dinner. Either way, it was difficult to tell what he was thinking.

"Sweetie, will you pass the chicken?" her mother's voice snapped Kagome out of her reverie. She hastily handed her mother the platter of chicken, careful not to spill any.

The rest of the night carried on smoothly, and after dessert everyone headed into the spacious living room to relax on the plush sofa's and armchairs. Souta looked around in awe, practically diving into a suede recliner by the massive television on the wall. Mrs. Higurashi and InuTaisho settled onto a leather sofa, while Gramps decided on the matching leather armchair beside it. InuYasha flopped onto the couch across from his father, leaving Kagome with the option to join him or stay standing. Deciding not to look like an idiot by standing beside the coffee table, she slowly sat next to him on the couch, folding her hands in her lap nervously.

"Your home is just so lovely Taisho," Mrs. Higurashi commented, using the nickname she had given him. "I would love to have a grand tour sometime."

Her boyfriend chuckled. "Well, how about tonight?" He looked around the room. "As long as everyone else is alright with that."

"Sounds great!" Kagome practically shouted, standing back up as if the couch was made of hot coals. Noticing the quizzical stares directed at her, she smiled sheepishly. "I mean, I've never been in a home this big before. I would love to see the rest of it."

Souta was hopping up and down, saying, "Let's go! Let's go!"

"I'll wait here," Gramps told them sleepily, his eyes already drooping. "I get very tired after a large meal."

InuTaisho looked down at his son, who was still sitting on the couch reading a car magazine he'd grabbed off the coffee table. "InuYasha? Care to join us?"

His son shrugged. "Well I think I know my own house but sure, why not." He stood and brushed past Kagome, following his father out of the living room. Kagome felt her arm tingling slightly from where he had grazed it, but she decided to ignore it and try to get through the rest of the night.

They started with the first floor, and InuTaisho showed them the second living room (the family room), his impressive office, and a kitchen any professional chef would kill for. Of course they had already seen the dining room and the living room Gramps was snoozing in, so everyone made their way up the stairs. Kagome thought they were so interested, the way they curved around up to the second story. She clutched the black iron railing and made sure not to trip on any steps, since InuYasha was right behind her. The last thing she needed was to go tumbling backwards into him.

The second floor had several bedrooms, mostly guest rooms. InuTaisho didn't show them his bedroom or InuYasha's, but everyone loved the music room and the entertainment room. Especially Souta, who said he could already see himself spending several weekends seated in front of the flat screen TV playing video games and watching movies. InuTaisho laughed at this, ruffling his hair and saying he was welcome anytime. Looking over at Kagome, he said she was welcome whenever she wanted as well. She could only smile warily.

As Mrs. Higurashi, InuTaisho and Souta headed back downstairs, Kagome was just about to step down to follow them when a hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her aside.

"Hey!" she said, looking over to see InuYasha watching her intently, his hand curled around her tiny wrist. She gulped, wishing her heart hadn't started to pound so vigorously. He could probably hear it. "W-What are you doing?"

"Come on," he said, pulling her with him down the hallway, back into the music room and closing the door.

"What are you doing?" Kagome asked again, but louder this time, wishing her hands weren't so shaky. He turned to face her and released her wrist from his grasp. It tingled from his touch, just as her arm had earlier. She scolded herself for wanting him to hold it again.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," he said, frowning. Kagome felt her chest tighten. _Oh no_. He probably wanted to talk about what happened yesterday.

"Look, I didn't mean to spill my ice cream on your girlfriend, okay?" she told him fiercely, knowing she sounded more confident then she felt. "It was an accident. I'll pay for her shirt if you don't want to."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, genuinely looking confused. Kagome blinked at him.

"Isn't that what you want to discuss? What happened at the park yesterday?"

He shook his head, his expression softening. "No, that has nothing to do with this. I don't even care about her shirt, I just wanted her to stop complaining." He had the same annoyed look he'd had yesterday, and Kagome found it strangely adorable. "This is something else entirely."

"Okay. What is it? And why'd you drag me in here?" she responded, bewildered. "My mom and your dad are going to wonder where we are."

"That's what I want to talk about," he said, frowning again. "Our parents."

_Our parents_. Kagome didn't like the way he said it, like it was a disgusting word. She waited, bracing herself for what he was about to say.

"My mother died when I was seven. It's always been my father and me, and sometimes Sesshomaru but he moved out early on. We had different mothers, so her death didn't really impact him." He touched one of the keys on the keyboard beside him, a low and depressing note. "Dad has always dated women here and there, but then he met your mother. And things have been...different."

Kagome chewed on her lower lip, listening to him. Where was he going with this?

"Dad is always at work, but when he was home we would usually hang out. Go places. But ever since he met your mother, he's hardly home at all. He never has any time for me. I don't like their relationship, and I want you to help me end it."

Kagome gaped at him, her mind reeling. She could tell by his stony expression that he was serious. But she didn't know whether to believe it. "You're joking, right?" she managed to say, laughing nervously. "I mean, surely you've seen how happy your father is. Why would you want to take that away from him? From my mother?"

He frowned, crossing his arms and leaning against the closed door. "I just think my father should be focusing on other things besides some relationship that will probably end soon anyways. I mean, sure he's happy, but he can find another woman once I graduate. It's not that hard. Women throw themselves at him all the time because he's the famous _InuTaisho Takahashi_." He said the name contritely, his lip curling as he went on. "He's never actually decided to date any of them like this before though. He's been on more first dates then even I can count, but it's never been serious. I don't know what's so different about your mother, but -"

"Hold on _just_ a minute," Kagome retorted, holding up a hand to silence him. He broke off mid-sentence, staring at her. Her eyes were blazing, and she felt very, very annoyed. And angry. "My mother is the kindest woman I've ever known. I can see already how happy she makes your father, and he makes her happier than she's been in years. I won't help you take that away from them. And she is _not_ only after him for his money. Say anything insulting and I'll -"

"You'll what?" InuYasha replied gruffly, grabbing her by the arms and switching them around, so that her back was to the door and he was mere inches from her face. Kagome's heart sped up, if that was possible. Her palms were sweaty and her mouth felt uncomfortably dry.

"You don't have to help me," InuYasha whispered venomously, his hands tightening on her arms. Kagome winced. "But just know that if you get in my way, I won't hesitate to make your life at Shikon a little...unpleasant." He finally released his grip on her, pulling away.

Kagome was breathing hard, not wanting to believe his words. Was he...threatening her? Who was this guy? She looked up at him, trying to muster a deathly glare. He only chuckled, twisting the doorknob to open the door behind her. She had to step aside for him to open it. She wanted to say something witty or clever to him before he left, but her words seemed to be caught in the back of her throat. With a wink, he exited the room and headed back downstairs.

Kagome stood in silent shock, not ready to go down and face her mother yet. How could he say those things? Want to tear away his father's happiness? He was so heartless. Cold. Kagome wished her heart would slow down it's quick tempo, and that the knot in her stomach would release. She wanted to go chug a glass of water to quench her dry throat, not liking the way her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth.

She hated this situation, hated the fact she would have to pretend like everything was fine and that she thought InuYasha was a great guy. She hated him for making her have to lie to mother when she got downstairs. She hated him for wanting to crush her mother's happiness.

But most of all, she hated him for still making her feel this way. For still making her love him.

**xXxXx**

Eventually, Kagome was able to make her way back downstairs and find her family putting their coats on and getting ready to leave. When her mother spotted her she said, "There you are dear! We were just about to come upstairs and look for you."

Kagome blushed, embarrassed by how long she had been up there. "Sorry. I got...sidetracked...by all the beautiful instruments in the music room." She fumbled with the buttons on her jacket after she slipped it over her shoulders with shaking hands. "InuYasha was such a _gracious _host, telling me all about each one." She shot him a nasty look, although no one besides him seemed to catch the sarcasm in her tone.

InuYasha grinned. "We had a good time. Kagome knows quite a bit about music. I was impressed."

Kagome suppressed the urge to pull on that long hair of his. Hard. Her mother beamed. "I didn't know you knew anything about music Kagome."

Her daughter gave a forced laugh. "Yeah, remember Eri's mom teaches music at the college? She always talks to me about it when I'm over there. I've learned a lot from her." _Nice save_. Her mother nodded, seeming to accept her response.

InuTaisho leaned down and kissed Mrs. Higurashi on the cheek, causing her to blush. "Thank you for coming. It was such a pleasure to meet your family," he told her, squeezing her hand.

"The pleasure was all ours," she replied, looking like a school girl who had fallen in love for the first time. "Next time you will have to come visit us though."

"I count on it."

Everyone said their goodbyes and stepped out into the warm night air. It was dark now, and Kagome thought all of the lights that were lit around the Takahashi's property looked gorgeous. As she started down the steps towards the car she felt a hand on her shoulder that caused her to flinch. Turning her head slowly, she saw InuYasha grinning at her, and hated how good he looked and how straight and perfect his teeth were.

"It was nice chatting with you Kagome," he said, sounding casual. His father was standing right beside him, waving at her mother. "I'll see you in school next week."

Kagome gritted her teeth together, but bit back the answer she really wanted to give him. Instead, she said sweetly, "I look forward to it. Good night."

Hurrying to the car without rushing too much, she yanked open the door and collapsed next to Souta. He looked over at her curiously. "What's up with you?"

Kagome buckled herself in and leaned her head against the back of the seat, closing her eyes. "Just tired," she mumbled. It wasn't entirely a lie. She _was_ tired. She wanted her mind to stop reeling after her conversation with InuYasha. She wanted to be as far away from him as possible, yet also know what it was like to be held in his arms. She had to stop thinking about him though. For one, he was a jerk who wanted to break up her mother and his father. For two, he had a girlfriend.

She needed to get him out of her head. It wouldn't help going to the same school as him though. Luckily he was one year ahead of her so they wouldn't have any classes together. But she would probably still see him in the hallway and at lunch. Hopefully he would keep to himself and leave her alone.

After getting home and changing into her pajamas, Kagome flopped onto her bed and curled up under her comforter. She hoped that sleep would come to her soon so she wouldn't be stuck with her thoughts anymore. She'd had enough of InuYasha Takahashi for one day.

Thankfully, she slipped into a peaceful sleep for most of the night, until he invaded her dreams, causing her to sit up in bed and moan to herself before trying to get back to sleep.

**xXxXx**

"So, truthfully, what did you think of InuTaisho?" Mrs. Higurashi asked the next morning at breakfast as she poured Souta a glass of orange juice. He gulped it down before continuing on his eggs and hash browns. Kagome pushed her eggs around her plate absently.

"He seems wonderful Mom," she said, smiling up at her mother. "Very sweet. I can tell how much he likes you."

This caused Mrs. Higurashi to blush, and she turned back to stove to flip the eggs. "Well I like him very much too. I was so relieved last night went well. You never know when your dating after so long and each of you have children. Sometimes things don't go as well as you would like them to. But everyone got along so well. Especially you and InuYasha," she remarked with a smile over at her daughter, whose eyebrow twitched slightly.

"Yeah," she replied, suddenly putting a huge forkful of eggs into her mouth. "He's great."

"And how about that entertainment room?!" Souta burst out, not bothering to hide his excitement. "It was _awesome_! My friends would be so jealous. He had all the latest games too!"

Mrs. Higurashi giggled. "His son probably plays those, not him." She slid the remaining eggs onto a plate.

Kagome stood up and carried her plate to the sink, rinsing it off. "I'm meeting Sango today to finish up our summer homework," she said, subtly changing the subject. "I'll probably get home late."

"That's fine dear, just make sure to call when you're on your way home," her mother replied, taking a sip of tea.

"I will."

Being with Sango would be a nice distraction from her thoughts. Plus, her friend always had good advice about boys. She would surely remember InuYasha from the park. Problem was, Kagome didn't know if she should mention their conversation in the music room. She didn't know what Sango would think of that.

Making sure she had her books and cell phone with her, Kagome hurried into town to meet her best friend at their favorite café. Sango was seated at a table near the window, so Kagome waved at her as she came in. She ordered a mocha and sat down in the seat across from Sango.

"So," Sango immediately said, lacing her fingers together and resting her chin on them. "How'd it go?"

"How'd what go?" Kagome replied lamely, knowing full well what Sango was referring to.

"Last night!"

Kagome took out her notebook and pencil and placed them in front of her, flipping to the appropriate page. "Oh, that. It went fine."

"Um, details please Higurashi."

"What's there to know? InuTaisho is great, he really adores my mom. His house is _huge_ though, like a mansion. I found out he owns the Takahashi Corporation and has two sons - "

"The Takahashi Corporation?!" Sango nearly spit out her coffee. She gawked at Kagome's laid back attitude about the whole situation. "As in, one of the leading corporations in all of Japan?!"

"Yeah, that one," Kagome told her, accepting the mocha the barista brought over to her. "I couldn't believe it at first either. I mean, imagine if they really did get married. We would be living in a mansion, probably having a limo drive us around Tokyo." InuYasha's words suddenly flew into her mind, causing her to set down her mocha, not wanting to drink it at the moment. If he really did intend to break them up, marriage was a far off possibility.

"You're so lucky," Sango commented enviously, eyes shining. "I wish my parents weren't boring school teachers."

"I love your parents," Kagome told her friend. "And Kohaku."

"Speaking of brothers, he has two sons? What were they like? Cute? Either of them our age?" she grinned, looking hopeful. Kagome sighed, dreading this part of their conversation.

"Well, his oldest son Sesshomaru works for his company, and I guess he is usually tied up with work. He couldn't make it last night. And his youngest son..." Kagome trailed off, not knowing exactly what to say.

Sango grinned mischievously at her friends silence. "He was that cute huh? Cuter than the guy you were drooling over in the park the other day?"

Kagome felt her cheeks getting pink, and she took a deep breath. "Actually, it was the same guy. From the park."

Sango was quiet for a moment, her eyes wide in surprise. And then suddenly she burst out laughing, causing several customers in the café to glance over at their table. When she finally calmed down, she wiped a stray tear from her eye and said, "That must have been pretty awkward."

"You have no idea," Kagome mumbled, finally taking a sip of her mocha.

"What's he like? I mean, I know he's gorgeous but is he nice? Did he give you a hard time about what happened?"

"Not really," Kagome admitted, realizing he hadn't even brought it up. He was too busy scheming on how to break up their parents. "He was...okay. Not really my type. Plus he has a girlfriend. Although he's going to the same school as us. He's a second year."

"Really?" Sango looked even more surprised. "Wow, so you'll get to see him everyday huh?"

"I guess."

Sango leaned back in her chair, homework and studying completely forgotten. "I feel like your life just got so much more exciting than mine. I need to meet a guy or win the lottery or something!"

"Sango," Kagome said, raising an eyebrow. Her friend smiled innocently. Just then, Kagome felt her phone buzzing in her pocket. _Strange,_ she thought as she pulled it out.

"Maybe it's him," Sango commented, winking. Kagome knew who she was referring to.

"Sango, there's no way he even knows my -"

But it was him. Kagome stared down in shock and frustration at the text message he had sent her.

_Hey, got your number from my dad who got it from your mom. You know who this is. Meet me in the park at noon (you know which one). Want to discuss operation break-up. Be there or your first day of high school might get a little messy ;) see ya soon. IT_

"So? Who is it?" Sango asked, cocking her head to one side at Kagome's expression. Kagome flipped her phone shut and struggled to keep her composure.

"No one important. Just another self-absorbed guy trying to ask me on a date."

_Yeah, right. Damn him_, Kagome thought as Sango shrugged and picked up her pencil._ He can't just threaten me and get away with it. Just wait, InuYasha. Two can play at this game._


	3. Exposed

**Story:** **At First Sight**

**Rating:** T

**Summary:** Ever believed in love at first sight? Kagome didn't. Until she met her mother's new boyfriend...and fell in love with his son.

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own any of these characters...I'm just having some fun with them ^-^

**xXxXx**

**Chapter Three: Exposed**

Making up an excuse to leave the café had been difficult, and Kagome still wasn't sure if Sango had bought it. But she had simply stated for Kagome to call her later and that they would finish the homework tomorrow. Grateful, Kagome had hugged her friend and rushed through the crowded streets towards the park. She wasn't going to let InuYasha get away with this...did he have no shame?

When she reached the park, Kagome glanced at her phone and noticed she was five minutes early. _Guess I didn't have to sprint here after all_, she thought in annoyance, slowly making her way over to the water fountain. There seemed to be families and couples and children everywhere, all having a great time at the park and enjoying the warm summer weather. Kagome wished she could relax and enjoy the sunshine too, but unfortunately that was quite impossible because of -

"You made it."

Kagome turned to see InuYasha leaning against the same oak tree she and Sango had been relaxing under the other day. She scowled at the casual smirk on his face. It was as if he didn't have a care in the world. He always looked so calm and collected whenever she was around him. She tried not to admire his sculpted arms, which she could see perfectly because of the wife beater he was wearing. She ignored (or attempted to ignore) his legs too, which were very defined and flexed whenever he shifted his weight.

"I told you I won't help you," she told him bluntly, crossing her arms and sinking down at the base of the tree. "So I don't know why you asked me to come here."

He shrugged, flicking a piece of lint off of his black shorts. "Well, what I want to do requires your cooperation. So I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice this time."

"This time?" Kagome raised an eyebrow at him. How many attempts did he have planned to break their parents up? He motioned for her to follow him, which she reluctantly did. They fell into pace beside each other as they walked through the park. Kagome used the hair tie around her wrist to pull her hair into a high ponytail, feeling hot not only from the sun, but from InuYasha's presence. _Damn him_.

"I shouldn't need your help often, but when I do I expect your participation," he said as if it was the most agreeable thing in the world. A soccer ball bounced towards them and InuYasha easily kicked it back to the three little boys waving their arms at him. They shouted words of thanks and he smiled slightly. Kagome felt little butterflies swirling around in her stomach at that smile.

"You're terrible," she still managed to grumble, kicking a rock that was on the path in front of her. It bounced off the pavement and hit a cherry blossom tree, causing a bird perched on it to take flight. "Go ahead and make my life miserable. But I won't ruin Mom's. Not when she's finally found happiness."

"Oh, you'll help me," InuYasha told her firmly, stopping to give her a hard look. His eyes seemed to pierce through her, and she had to resist the urge to flinch away from him. "Trust me, what I want to do with your help is hardly as bad as what I want to do without it."

"What does that mean?"

"So in a way, your cushioning the blow a bit by helping," he went on matter-of-factly, resuming their walk.

"I don't understand." Kagome's throat felt tight.

"At least if you help me, my ideas that involve you will be less difficult on your mother than the ones that don't involve you. Make sense?"

"Just how many ideas do you have?" Kagome inquired angrily, looking up at him. "How many attempts will you make at splitting them up?"

InuYasha didn't answer. He ignored her question and looked thoughtfully up at the clear sky. It was quiet for a few moments.

"Here's what I want to do," InuYasha told her, changing the subject and sitting down on a bench to his left. He patted the spot next to him. When she glared at him, he smirked.

"Maybe my mom shouldn't be with InuTaisho if she would get a step-son like you," she grumbled bitterly, sitting beside him. InuYasha's smirk simply widened.

**xXxXx**

Kagome stood outside of her kitchen, inhaling a deep breath and feeling like such a horrible person. How could she ever hurt her mother? It was so wrong. She hated how casual InuYasha was about the whole situation, as if ruining people's lives was second nature for him. No matter what happened, she would have to find a way to keep InuTaisho and her mother together, even if it meant hurting them first.

Releasing the breath she hadn't realized she was holding in, Kagome finally entered the kitchen and gave her mother a bright smile. "Hi Mom. Can I talk to you about something?"

Mrs. Higurashi dried her hands on the towel hanging from the fridge. "Sure sweetie. What is it?"

Kagome drew circles with her index finger on the kitchen counter, contemplating her words. "Well, InuTaisho called me today and wanted me to tell you something," she said, using the lines InuYasha had given her. "He wants you to meet him at Fujiyama's tonight at seven for dinner."

"We've never eaten there before," Mrs. Higurashi mused, leaning against the counter and peering at her daughter. "But why would he call you about that and not me?"

"He called on the home phone," Kagome lied, beginning to feel nauseous. "You weren't home so he thought it would be easier for me to just relay the message to you." She quickly started to back out of the kitchen. "And he said don't be late!" she called as she hurried back up to her room.

Shutting her door quickly behind her, Kagome sank to her knees and put her face in her hands. _I'm the worst_, she thought miserably to herself, wanting to crawl under her covers and never come out again. But of course, at that moment, her cell phone beeped, signaling a message. She didn't check it for several minutes, wallowing in her guilt and shame. She even contemplated marching back downstairs and telling her mother it was all a lie. That InuYasha was bent on the destruction of their relationship and was forcing her to help.

But instead she pulled her phone out of her pocket and flipped it open.

_How'd it go?_

Kagome wanted to throw her phone across the room. Was he psychic or something?! How did he know she had just spoken with her mother? She spent a few moments formulating her response, wanting him to know she loathed what he was making her do.

_I told her. And just so you know, I hate you._

He replied almost immediately.

_Love you too sweetie_.

This caused Kagome's blood to boil, but also her heart to flutter. She knew he was being sarcastic, but why did she feel herself wanting to hear those words for real? Maybe because that was how _she_ really felt?

"No!" she heard herself breathe aloud, shaking her head vigorously. "You do _not_ love him! There is no way these feelings are real."

She didn't respond to him, but set her phone on her bedside table and dressed to go meet Sango for their make-up study session. If he wanted to reach her again, she wouldn't be bothered with it. Ignorance was bliss, right?

**xXxXx**

That night at 8:30, Kagome was sitting on the couch reading a book when her mother entered the house and placed her keys on the hook next to the front door. Kagome heard her sigh and slowly make her way up the stairs. Closing her book and setting it aside, Kagome also went up the stairs and tapped on her mother's closed door.

"Yes?" came a strained voice. Kagome opened the door and forced a smile, hoping her eyes didn't show the guilt that was eating her up inside.

"How was your date?" she asked, trying to sound casual. Her mother removed her earrings and necklace before she answered, and Kagome could tell she was trying not to show her disappointment.

"Oh, well InuTaisho never showed up. But it's okay, he probably got held up at the company or forgot to call," she said, smiling sadly, but Kagome could tell she was hurting. She went over and sat beside her mother on the bed, squeezing her hand.

"He doesn't seem like the type of person to just stand you up," she said firmly, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. "Did you try to call him?"

Mrs. Higurashi nodded. "He didn't answer. Well, his son answered, and told me he had seen his father, um..."

"Saw him what?" Kagome asked, wanting to claw out InuYasha's eyes at the moment.

"He said he saw him leaving the house with another woman, but it could have just been a maid walking him out or a relative. I didn't ask for specifics." Mrs. Higurashi's smile finally faltered, and she leaned into her daughter, closing her eyes. "I can't help but think this is so out of character for him though. Maybe he thinks things are moving too fast after the other night."

Kagome placed her free hand on top of her mother's head and ran it gently through her hair. "He hasn't lost interest in you," Kagome soothed, closing her eyes as well. "I'm positive he will call you tomorrow and explain everything. Don't worry."

Her mother nodded slowly, but Kagome could still feel how tense her shoulders were. They sat there in silence for a while longer, listening to the quiet sounds of the house and their own soft breathing. Kagome swore InuYasha wouldn't get away with this.

**xXxXx**

"First day of high school!" Sango exclaimed, stretching out her arms as she and Kagome sat in their homeroom class waiting for the bell to ring. Things had been going fairly smoothly that morning, with no incidents from InuYasha. Although, it was only 7:55 in the morning. He still had all day to mess with her.

After the stunt they had pulled last week, things had sort of backfired for InuYasha. His father had called Mrs. Higurashi and she told him what happened. To say the least, InuTaisho had been confused and surprised, saying he had made no such reservations for them at Fujiyama's. That caused Mrs. Higurashi to be surprised as well, and she had called Kagome downstairs to question her.

It was so obvious, Kagome didn't know how she had missed it. Obviously this would all come back to her since she had claimed to have spoken with InuTaisho about the plans. What would she say when her mother asked her about the telephone conversation? She knew now that it wasn't InuTaisho Kagome had talked with.

"Kagome, InuTaisho says he never made arrangements for us to eat at Fujiyama's," her mother said, genuinely looking bewildered. "But when I got there we _did_ have reservations, and you told me you spoke with him about it."

InuYasha had actually been the one to make the reservations, putting them under the name Takahashi.

When she was met with her daughter's silence, Mrs. Higurashi frowned and told her boyfriend she would call him back. Setting down the phone, she placed her hands on her hips and focused her attention on Kagome. "Young lady, is there something you would like to tell me?"

Needless to say, Kagome had two options. Take the heat for this incident, or blame it all on InuYasha. If she accepted the blame, she could be grounded for awhile. But if she pointed the finger at InuYasha he would make her life miserable, and school was starting soon.

However, maybe admitting to her mother what was going on would help. Then at least she and InuTaisho would be aware of what his son was doing. Taking a deep breath, Kagome blurted out everything, from how he had pulled her aside in the music room to meeting at the park the other day. Mrs. Higurashi was wide-eyed, sinking down onto the couch.

When Kagome finished, she was too ashamed to meet her mother's eyes. It was silent for several moments before Mrs. Higurashi finally spoke.

"I will deal with your punishment later," she said tightly, but her eyes had softened. She always went easier on her daughter when she told the truth. "But right now, I need to call InuTaisho back and speak with him about this."

Kagome had simply nodded, watching her mother's retreating figure. She was done for when InuYasha found out. But strangely, he hadn't made any contact with her all week. Mrs. Higurashi said his father had grounded him for a month, and Kagome was only grounded for two weeks since it was apparent that she had been coerced into participating. But why hadn't InuYasha yelled at her over text or forced her to meet somewhere with him?

"Hey, that must be our teacher," Sango was saying, bringing Kagome back to reality. She followed Sango's gaze to an old woman who was approaching the board to write 'Kaede-sensei' in black marker. "Maybe you can set her up with your Gramps," Sango winked.

Kagome forced a giggle and chewed nervously on the end of her pen.

Homeroom passed quickly, and then it was on to Math and World Studies. Luckily most of the first year classes were on one side of school, so Kagome didn't run into InuYasha at all. But she knew lunch might be a different story. Kagome prayed he had second lunch and not first. When the bell rang to release the first lunch students, Kagome hesitantly made her way to the cafeteria, searching for Sango. They had three classes together, Homeroom, Science and Drama, and also lunch.

"Kagome!" she heard Sango call, spotting her friend by the doors that led to the courtyard. She hurried over and smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She also noticed a girl standing to Sango's left, a pretty girl with long, dark hair and dark eyes. She broke into a wide grin when she saw Kagome.

"This is Rin," Sango introduced, pushing open the door and heading out into the courtyard. "She's in a couple of my classes. I invited her to eat with us if that's okay."

"Of course it's okay," Kagome grinned, settling into a grassy spot in the courtyard and removing her bento box from her bag. "You're a first year too, right Rin?"

"Yes," Rin replied. She had the cutest voice, like little bells. Kagome could already see them becoming good friends. It almost took her mind off the anticipation of InuYasha humiliating her; almost. Would Rin still want to be seen with her after whatever he was planning?

"Oh, look!" Rin suddenly breathed, eyes dancing. Sango and Kagome followed her gaze and nearly choked on their food when they saw who Rin was ogling at. "Isn't that InuYasha Takahashi? I've heard so much about him from my friends who started at this school with him."

"Have you?" Sango spluttered, wiping rice off of her shirt.

"Yeah. He's cute, huh? Way better looking than they described him. And, oh, look, that must be his girlfriend! She's so pretty."

Kagome couldn't help but glance back over to see InuYasha and his girlfriend, Kikyo, laughing with some of their friends by the school garden. She was wearing a tight fitting lavender dress that reached just above her knees, making her legs look longer. Several bracelets dangled from her wrist and she was wearing the same hoop earrings as that day in the park.

"That one boy is in my Math class," Kagome commented, trying to change the subject. Why did she always change the subject when InuYasha was brought up? "I think his name is Miroku. He asked me if I would bear his children." She snorted, taking a bite of her rice ball.

"Seriously?" Sango asked, wrinkling her nose. "Who asks something like that?"

"They're looking this way," Rin whispered, as if the group they were talking about could somehow hear them. Kagome paled, trying to keep her back to InuYasha. Maybe he wouldn't know it was her. "Who are they pointing at?"

Sango nudged Kagome with her foot and jerked her head in the direction Kagome was refusing to look at. Slowly, she looked over her shoulder once more and saw Kikyo approaching them, a nasty smile on her face. InuYasha was following slowly behind, hands shoved into the pockets of his shorts. Kagome was beginning to wonder if his hands were glued to his pockets.

"Hey," Kikyo said, coming to a halt beside Kagome and tossing her long hair over her shoulder. "Your that girl who got ice cream all over my new shirt last week."

Rin looked confused, and Sango frowned. "What about it?" she shot up at Kikyo, setting down her lunch.

Kikyo snorted. "Nothing. When I saw you, I just remembered you owe me a shirt," she said spitefully, crossing her arms. Kagome stood up, brushing grass off of her jeans. She could take crap from InuYasha, but not from his girlfriend. No way.

"As I recall, _he_-" she jabbed a finger in InuYasha's direction, as he had just come up beside Kikyo and slipped an arm around her waist "-offered to buy you a new one. I'm not obligated to do anything."

Kikyo's eyes narrowed, and she looked up at her boyfriend. "Oh, he bought me a shirt alright. Two, actually. He's so sweet, spoiling me all the time." She planted a kiss on his cheek, but his expression didn't change. Kagome resisted the urge to gag. "But that doesn't change the fact that _you're_ the one who ruined it. And you're just going to sit back and pretend nothing happened?"

"I'm not pretending nothing happened," Kagome said, hoping she didn't sound defensive. It made her nervous that InuYasha was standing there, watching them talk with an amused expression on his face. "If you want me to buy you a shirt, fine, I'll buy you a shirt. But only so you drop this nonsense." Kagome sensed that this Kikyo was the type of person to get what she wanted, and to take advantage of opportunities where she could get what she wanted. Might as well give in so she could be left alone and not have InuYasha and Kikyo team up to bring her down. Although Kikyo might team up with him anyways.

"Fine," Kikyo smirked, looking triumphant. "I only wear clothes from the boutique on Nishima street. And I'm a small. Bring it to me tomorrow morning." She turned to walk away before pausing and adding, "Oh, and nothing orange. I _hate_ orange." She sneered at the shirt Rin was wearing before leaving them alone.

"What's wrong with my shirt?" Rin whined, looked down at her plaid orange flannel.

Kagome watched InuYasha walk away with his girlfriend before sinking back down onto the grass, ignoring the look Sango was giving her. He hadn't even said two words to her. In fact, he didn't even look resentful or angry. Maybe he was letting bygones be bygones. Maybe he didn't hold a grudge against her for ratting him out about his plans for mass destruction.

InuYasha glanced back at her and winked.

_Or maybe not_.

"You know that boutique is super expensive right?" Sango said, raising an eyebrow. "How are you going to afford anything from in there?"

Kagome waved it off. "I'll find a way. Besides, how would she even know?"

"Something tells me she would know."

Before Kagome got a chance to reply, her phone started buzzing and she gulped. Sneaking a peek at InuYasha, she noticed he had his phone out but was pretending to listen to whatever Kikyo was rambling on about. Opening her phone, Kagome clicked on her new message.

_Need help picking something out for Kikyo? I'll meet you there after school_.

Kagome tried not to let her eyes bulge out at the message, knowing Sango or Rin would notice. Was he crazy?! Was this some kind of trick...keep your friends close but your enemies closer? Kagome shook her head and decided to play along. She would figure out what he was up to.

_Sounds great. See ya then_.

Judging by his shocked expression he hadn't expected her to say yes.

**xXxXx**

**A/N: I'm not sure if people are liking this story so please let me know if I should continue! And your feedback is always appreciated ^_^**


End file.
